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Help Center

Login in to your Library Account

You will require your PIN to login to your Library Account.

From the e-Wits Catalogue click on the login link and follow the prompts that follow.

Below is a Screenshot example of the page.


Login screen

Login to view your Library profile Click here to login OR create your profile.



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PIN setup and help

Keep your PIN safe - you will need it each time you use the Library Catalogue or Electronic Resources.

Accessing E Resources off campus or your Library Account requires a PIN. When logging in for the first time enter any 6 digit (numerical) Personal Identification Number (PIN) you would like to use. After clicking "Submit" you will be prompted to verify the PIN. This service acts to protect against possible unauthorised use of your account.

Forgot your PIN?

Requires PIN Click here to reset your PIN.



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Searching

Type the keyword you want to find. For example:

  • design
  • bleachers grisham
Search Tips
Wildcards Words may be right-hand truncated using an asterisk ('*') in place of other characters. The '*' wildcard may also be embedded in a search string. You may use '?' to replace a single character anywhere within a word.
Examples : environment* polic*, wom?n
Boolean Operators Use "and" or "or" to specify multiple words in any field, any order. Use "and not" to exclude words.
Example : stocks and bonds
Example : (alaska or canada) and (adventure and not vacation)
Field limits A field limit causes the system to search only the specified field for the specified word(s).
Grouping Keyword search results are usually grouped by relevance to bring the most likely titles to the top of the list. Each group represents a similar level of relevance and results are sorted within the group by date or title. To get an ungrouped result set, use boolean operators to form a complex query.



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Advanced Keyword Search Tips

Multiple Words

When searching multiple words the system will automatically supply the Boolean "and" operator between each word; multiple words entered for the search will all occur somewhere in the retrieved records though not necessarily in the order entered. Both examples on the right will retrieve the same results.

Examples

Using multiple words:
university science department
university and science and department

Phrase Searches

Search for complete phrases by enclosing them in quotation marks. Words enclosed in double quotes will appear together in all results exactly as typed.

Examples

A phrase Search:
"university science department"

Wildcards

*   Matches any number of non-space characters, starting at the specified position in the word. For example, "comput*" will match all words that begin with "comput" (e.g., "computer", "computation", etc.).
The '*' wildcard may also be embedded in a search string.

?   You may use a question mark ('?') to replace a single character anywhere within a word.

Examples

* Wildcard:
environment* polic*
comp*

? Wildcard:
wom?n

Boolean Operators

Use AND or OR to specify multiple words in any field, any order. Use AND NOT to exclude words. Select the operator you wish to use from the selection list on the Advanced Search form.

Examples

Using Boolean operators:
stocks and bonds
stocks or bonds
stocks and not bonds

Field Limits

Field limits may be specified by selecting a field limit from the selection list. These limits appear before the word or phrase to be searched. A field limit causes the system to search only the specified field for the specified word(s).

Field Limits and their meanings:

  • Author: Search only author fields
  • Title: Search only title fields
  • Subject: Search only subject fields
  • Note: Search only note fields
  • Subject: Search only subject fields

Grouping

Keyword search results are usually grouped by relevance to bring the most likely titles to the top of the list. Each group represents a similar level of relevance and results are sorted within the group by date or title. To get an ungrouped result set, use boolean operators to form a complex query.

Most relevant Most relevant titles 

Highly relevant Highly relevant titles 

Very relevant Very relevant titles 

Relevant Relevant titles 

Other relevant Other relevant titles 



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Saving your searches

If you have a favorite author or subject for which you often search when using the catalog, you can save the search with the click of a button. This will prevent you from having to key in the search each time and let you place reserves on new materials quicker.

How to:

  1. Log in to your Library Account.
  2. Click on the "New Search" button.
  3. Search for your favorite author, subject, title, etc. or create an advanced keyword search including limits to material type, language, publication year, etc..
  4. When your results are displayed, click the button marked "Save as preferred search".
  5. The next time that you log in to your Library Account, you can click the "Preferred Searches" button to see a list of your saved searches.
  6. Click on the search link associated with any of the preferred search terms in the list to quickly execute your search.
  7. You can be alerted of new materials added to the library collection which match your searches. Just check the "Mark for Email" box and be sure that your patron record information includes your current email address.



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Renewals

Library cardholders may renew their own materials online. All material may be renewed except for materials with holds or on short/overnight loan. Item may be renewed up to four times if it is not required by another person.

Renewals may be done at the Issue desk, or online by loging in to your Library Account: if a hold has been placed on the item, or it is already overdue, the renewal will be rejected.

Postgraduates and staff may also renew items by telephone.

Renew online:

  1. Log in to your Library Account.
  2. If not the default view click the "Items currently checked out" link to view the materials you have checked out.
  3. Select the materials you want to renew by checking the boxes in the RENEW column and then click the Renew Selected button. If you want to renew everything, click the Renew ALL button.
  4. If you cannot renew items, a message will appear on the screen. If you are successful, a new due date will appear in the "STATUS" column. Always check the STATUS column for information on the success or failure of your renewal.



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Fines, payments and overdue notices

You can now pay any fine using KuduBucks with your Student Card or by depositing money at the Cashiers Desk (please ask your Librarian for the account code).

Fines are charged to all users, regardless of status, for any items which is returned after the due date , and which has not been renewed. If a renewal is made after the due date, a fine will be charged for the period of time between the due date and the date the item is renewed.

Fines are charged per day or per hour, according to the category of loan, and are incorporated into the computerised loan circulation system.

Please ask for a receipt of payments made and keep it safe!

As a courtesy, the Library sends email reminders about due dates. E-mail notices will be sent to all current staff and student Wits email address. Whether or not you receive such a notice or reminder, books checked out to you must be returned or renewed by their due dates.

If books are not returned and if replacement charges and outstanding fines are not paid, then disciplinary proceedings may be instituted by the Library.

Login to your Library Account



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Interlibrary Loans (ILL)

Interlibrary loans (ILL) supports Library collections for University academic staff and postgraduate students.

Requests from Wits University staff and students may be made using the Interlibrary Loans web site. Alternatively, requests can be made by e-mail, fax, or on paper forms available from the ILL office, or any Branch Library. The more detailed the information supplied (i.e. author, title, international standard book number (ISBN), edition, publisher and date of publication, in the case of books; and journal title, volume, date, author and title of article and page numbers, in the case of journals, the more rapidly the item is likely to be supplied.


The central ILL service for the University is based in the Wartenweiler Library, on the East Campus of the University, and is situated on the First Floor.
interlibraryloans.library@wits.ac.za
General inquiries: 27 (0)11 717-1951
Renewals: 27 (0) 11 717-1944

Wits University staff and postgraduate students contact:
Cheryl Kortje,
Tel: 27 (0)11 717-1945
Accounts: Sipho Ndlovu,
Tel: 27 (0)11 717-1951


Requests from South African libraries for Wits Library materials:
Sipho Ndlovu,
Tel: 27 (0)11 717-1944


International requests from external libraries for Wits Library materials:
Books and Theses: Tel: 27 (0)11 717-1951
Photocopies: Tel: 27 (0)11 717-1951


Courier queries:
Sipho Ndlovu,
Tel: 27 (0)11 717-1951

Ronny Maphali,
Tel: 27 (0)11 717-1751

Health Sciences Library Interlibrary Loans (ILL)

Wits Health Sciences Library requests should be made directly to WHSL.
Email ill.whsl@wits.ac.za or phone 27 11 717 2350 for more information.


Opening Hours
Monday to Thursday : 08h00 - 22h00
Friday: 08h00 - 18h00
Saturday: 08h30 - 15h00
Sundays: 14h00-20h00



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